Acas Legal Advice: Early Conciliation Solicitors in London
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Acas (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) runs free early conciliation between employees and employers, but its conciliators cannot give legal advice or tell you whether an offer is fair. At Adam Bernard Solicitors, our employment lawyers advise you before, during and after Acas early conciliation — so you know what your claim is worth, which deadlines apply, and whether to accept, reject or negotiate.
Call 0207 100 2525 (24/7) or book a video consultation via Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype.
What does Acas stand for?
Acas stands for the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. It is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Business and Trade, that gives free, impartial guidance on workplace rights and helps employers and employees resolve disputes without going to an employment tribunal.
Acas has three main roles:
- Advisory — free guidance through its helpline and website on pay, contracts, holidays, grievances and discrimination.
- Conciliation — a neutral conciliator passes messages and offers between you and the other side, most commonly through early conciliation before a tribunal claim.
- Arbitration — in a limited number of cases, an independent arbitrator decides the dispute instead of a tribunal.
Acas helpline numbers
The Acas helpline is 0300 123 1100, open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, with a free translation service in over 100 languages (GOV.UK). It gives general information on employment rights — it does not assess your individual case.
To start early conciliation by phone, Acas uses a separate line: 0300 123 1122, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Most people notify Acas online instead using the Acas early conciliation form.
Acas in Scotland: Acas covers England, Scotland and Wales, and early conciliation works the same way in Scotland. One difference to note: for breach of contract claims in Scotland, the new 6-month time limit only applies to breaches on or after 9 November 2026 (Acas).
Does Acas give legal advice?
No. Acas conciliators are impartial — they cannot represent you, take sides, help prepare your case, say whether your claim is valid, or give legal advice (Acas). Their job is to relay offers and help both sides reach an agreement.
That leaves a gap. Without independent advice, employees often:
- accept a first offer that is far below what a tribunal could award;
- miss claims they didn’t know they had (for example, discrimination or whistleblowing alongside a dismissal);
- misjudge the tribunal deadline after the Acas certificate is issued; or
- sign a COT3 that waives more claims than they intended.
Our solicitors fill that gap. We value your claim, draft your position, negotiate through the conciliator, and check any COT3 wording before you agree to it.
How Acas early conciliation works
You must notify Acas before you can bring most employment tribunal claims. Early conciliation can then last up to 12 weeks — doubled from 6 weeks for notifications made from 1 December 2025 (Acas).
- Notify Acas online or by phone, within your tribunal time limit. This is a legal requirement under section 18A of the Employment Tribunals Act 1996.
- A conciliator contacts you and asks whether you want to take part. Conciliation is voluntary for both sides.
- Negotiation — the conciliator passes offers and responses between you and your employer. Discussions are confidential.
- Outcome: if an agreement is reached, Acas records it in a COT3, which is legally binding and means you cannot take that dispute to a tribunal. If there is no agreement, or the other side declines, Acas issues an early conciliation certificate with a unique number.
- Tribunal claim — you must enter the certificate number on form ET1 to make an employment tribunal claim.
Acas notes it can take around 9 weeks for conciliation to start once you notify it — another reason to act early.
Acas time limits in 2026
For workplace problems on or after 1 October 2026, most employment tribunal claims now have a time limit of 6 months minus 1 day. For problems before 1 October 2026, the old limit of 3 months minus 1 day still applies (Acas).
| Date the problem happened | Usual time limit |
|---|---|
| Before 1 October 2026 | 3 months minus 1 day |
| On or after 1 October 2026 | 6 months minus 1 day |
| Scotland — breach of contract before 9 November 2026 | 3 months minus 1 day |
| Scotland — breach of contract on or after 9 November 2026 | 6 months minus 1 day |
Example from Acas: a problem on 1 October 2026 has a deadline of 11:59pm on 31 March 2027.
Notifying Acas within the time limit pauses the clock while conciliation runs. If you notified in time, you have at least 1 month from receiving your certificate to lodge your claim. Raising a grievance or appeal internally does not pause the time limit.
Calculating the exact deadline can be technical. If you were dismissed, see our unfair dismissal claim solicitors page for how the time limit applies to dismissals.
COT3 vs settlement agreement — what's the difference?
A COT3 is an agreement recorded by Acas; a settlement agreement is a private contract that requires independent legal advice to be binding. Both settle employment claims, but they work differently.
| COT3 (via Acas) | Settlement agreement | |
|---|---|---|
| Who drafts it | Acas conciliator | Employer’s solicitors |
| Legal advice required to be valid? | No | Yes — from an independent adviser |
| When used | During Acas conciliation or a tribunal claim | Any time, often before a dispute reaches Acas |
| Legally binding? | Yes | Yes |
Because a COT3 doesn’t require legal advice, it’s easy to sign away claims without realising it. If your employer has offered a private deal instead, see our settlement agreement solicitors.
The Acas Code of Practice and why it matters
The Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures sets the minimum fair process employers and employees should follow. It isn’t law in itself, but tribunals must take it into account.
Under section 207A of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, a tribunal can increase or reduce an award by up to 25% if either side unreasonably failed to follow the Code. That makes it a powerful negotiating point during Acas conciliation.
For help running or responding to a formal grievance, see our grievance proceedings service.
How our Acas solicitors help
For employees, we:
- confirm your time limit and notify Acas correctly;
- identify every claim you have — for example discrimination at work, unpaid wages, redundancy or automatic unfair dismissal;
- value your claim and set a realistic settlement range;
- negotiate through the conciliator on your behalf;
- review COT3 wording before you agree; and
- prepare your ET1 if conciliation fails.
For employers, we respond to Acas notifications, assess the risk of a claim, negotiate a commercially sensible settlement, and — if it doesn’t settle — handle defending employment tribunal claims.
Our SRA-regulated solicitors work from offices in High Holborn (Central London) and Upton Park (East London), and advise clients across the UK by phone and video.
Don’t go into Acas conciliation without knowing what your claim is worth. Call 0207 100 2525 (24/7) or book a video consultation via Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Acas stand for?
Is Acas free?
Can Acas give me legal advice?
How long does Acas early conciliation take?
Do I have to go to Acas before an employment tribunal?
What is an Acas certificate?
How long do I have to claim after getting my Acas certificate?
What is the time limit for contacting Acas in 2026?
What is a COT3?
Is Acas different in Scotland?
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